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Institute of Advanced Technological and Commercial Studies

Resources

Running an online community

A living community rests on a held editorial line, a realistic frequency and confident moderation. Three posts a week sustained beat an intense campaign followed by silence.

What sustains a presence

The editorial line answers three questions: what you talk about, in what tone, how often. It is set once and held, because regularity is what builds an audience. The calendar is sized on time genuinely available rather than on first-month ambition. Production uses what is at hand: a phone films well, free tools edit and caption, and the material comes from the business itself.

  • Three to five recurring themes, chosen to last
  • A defined tone, held including in replies to comments
  • A frequency sized on genuinely available time
  • Published community rules, which make moderation simple
  • A measured monthly report, guiding the following month

The short format, block by block

Four blocks covering the full chain, from editorial line to monthly report. Volumes are the catalogue's, and the fee is on the programme page.

Teaching blockYearHoursCredits
Editorial line110 h1
Content production110 h1
Engagement and moderation110 h1
Measurement and reporting110 h1

Replying with method

  1. 01

    Acknowledge quickly

    A quick reply, even short, defuses most situations. Speed matters more than length.

  2. 02

    Move to the right channel

    A customer case is handled by direct message or phone, with a public follow-up once resolved.

  3. 03

    Apply the published rules

    A displayed rule makes any moderation legible and defensible. It protects the team as much as the community.

  4. 04

    Capture it in the report

    Recurring questions become posts or site pages: the community writes your calendar.

Community questions

How many posts per week?

The number you will hold for twelve months, and it is better to set it low: three weekly posts sustained build an audience that ten posts followed by a month of silence scatter. The calendar is sized on time genuinely available.

Should I be on every platform?

One well-run platform carries further than four half-fed. The choice falls on the one where your audience already spends time, and the short format's first block covers exactly that selection.

How do I measure the effect of an online presence?

Through enquiries received as much as through engagement indicators: the monthly report brings the two together and guides the following month. It is the short format's final block deliverable, built on your own activity.

Running an online community — Resources | IHETC — IHETC